US carriers see good year for on-time performance

2011 proved to be on of the best years on record in terms of on-time performance for US-based airlines.

Travel Insurance News - 16/02/2012

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Figures released this week by the United States Department of Transportation's statistics bureau showed that almost eight of every 10 flights - 79.6 per cent - arrived within 15 minutes of published arrival times in 2011. The figure mars a 0.2 per cent drop from 2010, but is still the fourth best performance seen in the 17-year period with comparable figures.

Additionally, US-based airlines performed better in December of last year than ever before, with a combined on-time score of 84.4 per cent and only 0.8 per cent of flights being cancelled. The numbers mark a huge improvement from the year prior, which saw 3.7 per cent of flights cancelled and an on-time score of just 72 per cent.

However, in spite of the improved timeliness among the industry, the US Transportation Department received 3 per cent more complaints against US airlines last year than in 2010.

Analysts say that higher load factors as a result of reduced schedules have helped to track the industry and have had a positive impact in terms of reducing the overall number of delays.

Top performers in December included AirTran Airways and Delta Air Lines, whilst Hawaiian Airlines scored as the best overall on-time performer for the eighth year in a row.

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